Derek Hough on Childhood Bullying: I Was 'Tied Up, Left in Fields'

October 18, 2014 5:22 PM

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But as a kid growing up in Utah, Hough was viciously bullied. And it took him years to gain the confidence he exudes on the dance floor.

"I was punched in the face, pretty aggressively in the stomach. I was tied up in trees and left in fields," the dance pro told PEOPLE at Friday's 10th annual GLSEN Respect Awards, which also honored Julia Roberts with the humanitarian award.